Midlands Review of The Heart Asunder
September 13, 2021
The Heart Asunder
Directed by Jay Mansell
2021
Made in the West Midlands by Birmingham filmmaker Jay Mansell, The Heart Asunder is a new micro-short from the first-time director focusing on loss and grief.
Starring Beatrice Allen (as Alicia) and Thomas Loone (as Nathan) the short was written, directed, produced and edited by Jay himself.
What seems like a voiceover quickly moves to a young woman called Alicia who is shown strolling with a pram through a park during the daytime sharing her thoughts aloud.
She reminisces on words mentioned by her own mum - “there’s nothing stronger than a mother’s love” - and continuing her monologue she speaks from the heart explaining how her mum’s name became the inspiration for Evie’s name.
As she pushes the pram, she is interrupted by a man (Nathan) who runs over to Alicia to ask what is going on. Explaining she just needed a walk, the man struggles to connect with her despite his requests to stop and talk.
Beatrice Allen does a great job with the heavy but brief material, speaking from the heart whilst also displaying a vulnerability as she stares off into the distance. Nathan as the concerned partner gives a good demonstration of someone who cares but also understands the difficult circumstances.
The short is made in one continuous shot as we track her walk - with the pram just out of shot. Ash Connaughton as director of photography, Arther Turner as sound mixer and Max Allcock as 1st AC each demonstrate a good understanding of their craft with the technical aspects of the film all excellent.
(SPOILER WARNING) However, it is only at the end does the camera pull out and the audience discovers the pram is in fact empty with the loss of her child being the sad inferred conclusion.
At three and a half minutes, the film comes and goes in a flash but sadly so many moments in our lives do. Its short runtime almost reflects the all too brief memories we have with loved ones. The Heart Asunder though is a great example of a film having a solid central conceit delivered with top-notch technical qualities. And the simplicity of the film means the message isn’t lost amongst a host of superfluous filmic fancies too.
In the end, what it delivers is an emotional and thoughtful piece on a sensitive subject using unfussy techniques and a heart-wrenching reveal. Combined, this hits home the film’s intense message about love that is fleeting but oh so overwhelming.
Michael Sales
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